Cleaning implement



Sept. 30, 1969 c. o. sNAPP 3,469,274'

CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 20, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2 Fig.

Cheste? 0. Snapp IN VJN'YUR,

BY WMMm Sept. 30, 1969 c. o. sNAPP 3,469,274

CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 20, 1967 I5 Sheets-Sheet z Fig. 4

Cheser 0. Snapp IN VliNTOl( 4 WWW am@ Sept. 30, 1969 o'. o. sNAPP3,469,274

CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 20, 196'? 3 Sheets-Sheet s Fig. 7

Chester 0. Snapp 1N VENTOR.

United States Patent O Fice 3,469,274 `CLEANING IMPLEMENT Chester 0.Snapp, P.O. Box 865, Lodi, Calif. 95240 Filed Oct. 20, 1967, Ser. No.683,426 Int. Cl. A46b 3/00 U.S. Cl. 15-228 12 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE A plurality of flexible bars project in a common plane from amounting member to elastically stiffen enclosing panel sections of arug-like material for floor cleaning purposes. An elongated handleextends from the mounting member perpendicular to a lower edge formed bysaid panel sections spaced from the ends of the flexible bars.

The present application incorporates the disclosure set forth in myprior abandoned application, U.S. Ser. No. 390,281, filed Aug. 18, 1964.

The present invention is generally concerned with cleaning implements,and more particularly relates to a floor care device adapted to performa variety of tasks such as sweeping, dusting, waxing, buffing, etc.

In conjunction with the above basic object, it is also a significantobject of the instant invention to provide a cleaning device which canbe effectively and conveniently used in dusting walls and ceilings.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a cleaning devicewhich can be easily handled in the manner of a conventional broom.

Furthermore, it is an object of the instant invention to provide acleaning device which, though relatively simple in construction, is of ahighly durable nature.

Basically, the device of the instant invention consists of a mountingbar having a plurality of elongated flexible or spring fingers mountedthereon and projecting therefrom, with a pliable covering of,preferably, rug material of the type having a relatively soft nap orouter surface, and a relatively stiff binding or backing. The ruglikepanel encloses the spring fingers and projects therefrom with the loweredge being used in conducting various sweeping operations, the springfingers providing the spring action associated with and considereddesirable in a broom. By the same token, the outer face of the panel canbe used for various dusting and bufiing operations. To complete thedevice, an elongated handle is provided thereon so as to projectperpendicularly from a lower edge of the rug-like panel in the manner ofa broom handle.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a front elevational view of the cleaning device of theinstant invention with a portion broken away for purposes ofillustration;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on aplane passing along line 2-2 of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on a planepassing along line 3--3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of a slightly modified form of the oorcleaning device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on aplane passing along line 5 5 of FIG- URE 4;

3,469,274 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of thedevice of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of another form of cleaning deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention with a portion ofthe cleaning material peeled back;

FIGURE 8 is a side sectional view through the cleaning device shown inFIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing the disassembled portions of thecleaning device illustrated in FIG- URES 7 and 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a partial front elevational view illustrating amodification of the cleaning device shown in FIG- URES 7-9.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 isused to generally designate the form of the device illustrated inFIGURES 1-3. The device 10 includes an elongated semi-cylindricalmounting member 12 having a flat upper surface 14 and a pair ofelongated slots 16 extending inwardly from `the opposite ends thereof.Extending through the slots 16 are a plurality of spaced flat springsteel fingers or bars 18 which are both flexible and elastic as is wellknown. Each bar has an upper end 20 thereof laterally bent and overlyingthe fiat upper surface 14 of the mounting member 12. As will beappreciated from the drawings, the fingers or bars 18 are coplanar andextend an equal distance below the mounting member 12. Driven fasteners22 are extended transversely through the opposite ends of the mountingmember 12 so as to close the slots 16 and effect a wedging of thefingers 18 therein.

The actual sweeping or dusting is effected by means of a rug-like panel24 which is to be pliable and shape retaining and, in the manner of aconventional piece of rug, have a soft outer or upper surface 26 and arelatively stiff binding or backing 28 generally of a rubber-likematerial. The panel 24 is formed into two sections, the first section 30extending from the mounting member 12 parallel and juxtaposed to oneface of the spring steel fingers or bars 18 to a point substantiallybelow the lower ends of the bars 18. The second section 32, integrallyformed with the first section 30 at the lower end thereof, extendsupwardly parallel and juxtaposed to the opposite sides of the bars 18,over the mounting member 12, and down along the upper portion of theouter face of the first section 30. In this manner, the spring fingers18 are completely enclosed or encased with a double layer of the pliablematerial projecting below the ends thereof. The abutting or facing sidesor faces of the sections 30 and 32 are bonded to each other alongsubstantially the entire area thereof, this being done by either gluingor sewing, the portion of the section 32 overlapping the outer face ofthe section 30 also being bonded thereto.

Positioned over the mounting member 12 is a semicylindrical clampingmember 34 having the fiat lower face 36 thereof positioned on top of theportion of the section 32 overlapping the mounting member 12. Clampingmember 34 is secured to the mounting member 12 by a pair of fasteners 38with the portion of the section 32 and the laterally bent ends 20 of thefingers 18 being clamped or sandwiched between surfaces 14 and 36.

Finally, an elongated rod-like handle 40, similar to a broom handle, isfixed to the mounting member 12 and clamping member 34 and projectscentrally therefrom in a direction diametrically opposite from thedirection of the fingers 18 and panel 24. This handle 40 can be securedto the members 12 and 34 by tapering the lower end 42 thereof andwedging it in a similarly tapered hole in the clamping member 34, adriven fastener 44 being projected upwardly through the mounting member12 and into the lower end of the handle 40.

The form of the cleaning device illustrated in FIG- URES 4-6, andgenerally referred to by reference numeral 46, differs from the devicein that the spring steel fingers or bars 48 are bent in half over themounting bar 50 in a manner so as to provide a bight portion 52 engagedover the mounting member 50 and two downwardly diverging legs 54. Aseries of these flexible or spring fingers 48 are provided along themounting bar 50 as will be appreciated from FIGURES 4 and 6.

The flexible panel 56, also of pliable shape retaining rug-likematerial, is folded substantially in half and includes a bight portion58 overlying the bight portions of the bars 48 and the mounting member50, and two diverging side sections overlying the outer faces of thediverging legs 54 and projecting a substantial distance therebeyond.

Coextensive with the lower portion of each of the panel sections 60 is asecondary panel 62 of similar material positioned juxtaposed the innerfaces of the legs 54 and bonded to the sections 60 in any suitablemanner such as by gluing or sewing, thereby completely enclosing thelegs 54, or at least a substantial portion thereof. As will beappreciated from FIGURE 5, the lower edges of the secondary sections 62are coplanar with the lower edges of the panel sections `60.

Finally, a clamping member 64 is fixed along the upper surface of themounting member S0 in a manner so as to clamp the panel 56 and flexiblespring fingers 48 therebetween, `a suitable elongated handle 66extending upwardly from the center of the clamping member 64 so as toenable the device to be conveniently manipulated.

FIGURES 7-9 illustrate a cleaning device generally referred to byreference numeral 68 which includes an elongated handle 70 the lowerportion of which forms a mounting member 72 for a plurality of flexiblebars such as the three flexible bars 74, 76 and 78. 'Ihe bars arereceived within a slot 80 formed in the mounting member 72 inintersecting relation to each other. The bars thus extend from themounting member in fixed angular relationship to each other. A pair of`fasteners 82 extend through the slot 80 in the mounting member so as tofixedly secure the flexible bars in their angular relationship. The ends84, 86 and 88 of the bars remote from the mounting member are generallyaligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle 70 andsymmetrical with respect thereto as shown.

The flexible bars as well as the mounting member 72 from which theyextend, are enclosed between the generally triangular sections 90 of adiamond-shaped, pliable panel 92 made of a rug-like material such ashereinbefore described in connection with the other forms of theinvention. The panel 92 is accordingly folded along a base line 94 asshown in FIGURE 9 so as to form a lower edge spaced from and generallyparallel to the aligned ends of the flexible bars or perpendicular tothe handle 70. Opposite corners of the panel intersected by the baseline 94 are cut away at 96 and the triangular sections of the panel oneither side of the flexible bars are glued or stitched to each otheralong the leg portions 98 to completely enclose the bars as well as themounting member just below the vertex portion 100 of the triangularsections.

In FIGURE 10, the flexible bars are received within the flattenedportion 102 of a modified form of mounting member 72', the bars beingfastened to the mounting member by a pair of fasteners such as rivets104. The mounting member 72 also includes a socket portion 106 withinwhich the elongated handle 70 is received. A fastener 108 secures thehandle to the socket portion. The flexible bars and the mounting member72 are enclosed between the triangular sections of a rug-like panel suchas described in connection with FIGURES 7-9.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a novel floor cleaningdevice has been defined, this device, in any of the several formsdescribed, incorporating a cleaning head having a desirable springaction and a relatively stiff lower edge of the type most conducive toan eflicient sweeping operation. In addition, the cleaning device isprovided with flat enlarged side faces having a relatively soft coveringthereon in conjunction with a relatively stiff internal construction,this being particularly useful in surface dusting operations, as well asWaxing and bufiing operations.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A cleaning device comprising a rigid elongated mounting member, aplurality of flat flexible bars fixed to said member at spaced pointsalong the length thereof and projecting laterally therefrom, anelongated flat panel of pliable shape retaining cleaning material fixedto said member and enclosing said flexible bars, said panel extendingbeyond the outer ends of said bars, and an elongated handle fixed tosaid mounting member and projecting therefrom, said panel including apair of flat sections lying juxtaposed opposite sides of the flexiblebars, said sections both extending from the mounting bar to a pointbeyond the outer ends of the bars and being integrally connected at theouter edges thereof, said sections being fixed to each other throughouta major p0rtion of the facing area thereof, one of said sectionsextending over the mounting member and partially down the outer side ofthe other section, and a clamping member overlying the mounting memberand clamping said one section thereto.

2. A cleaning device comprising a rigid elongated mounting member, aplurality of flat flexible bars fixed to said member at spaced pointsalong the length thereof and projecting laterally therefrom, anelongated flat panel of pliable shape retaining cleaning material fixedto said member and enclosing said flexible bars, said panel extendingbeyond the outer ends of said bars, and an elongated handle fixed tosaid mounting member and projecting therefrom, said bars each includinga bight portion and a pair of diverging legs, each bight portion beingreceived over the mounting member, said elongated panel including abight portion and a pair of diverging sections, said panel bight portionoverlying said mounting member and the bar bight portions thereon, eachsection extending to a point beyond the outer ends of the correspondingbar legs, and a pair of secondary panel sections of pliable shaperetaining cleaning material, one of said secondary sections being fixedto the inner face of each of the first mentioned sections with thecorresponding bar legs being sandwiched therebetween.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said panels are formed of rug-likematerial having a relatively soft working face, and a relatively stiffbacking face.

4. A floor cleaning device comprising a rigid elongated mounting member,a plurality of flat flexible bars fixed to said member at spaced pointsalong the length thereof and projecting laterally therefrom, anelongated flat panel of pliable shape retaining cleaning material fixedto said member and enclosing said flexible bars, said panel extendingbeyond the outer ends of said bars, and an elongated handle fixed tosaid mounting member and projecting therefrom, said mounting memberincluding slot means therethrough, said flexible bars each having oneend extending through the slot means and therebeyond, said one end beinglaterally bent to overlie said mounting member, and a clamping memberoverlying the mounting member and clamping the laterally bent endsthereto.

5. A cleaning device comprising a relatively rigid handle member havinga longitudinal axis, a plurality of flat, elastically flexible bars onlyprojecting from said member substantially in a common plane, said barshaving outer ends remote from the handle member, a flat panel of pliablefabric fixed to said member and enclosing said flexible bars, said panelextending beyond the outer ends of said bars terminating at an edgeportion centrally intersected perpendicularly by the longitudinal axisof the handle member, and means enclosed by said panel for securing theilexible bars to the handle member with the outer ends fixed insymmetrically spaced relation to the longitudinal axis.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said iexible bars extend from thehandle member in fixed angular relation to each other, said outer endsof the bars remote from the handle member being aligned substantiallyperpendicular to the handle member.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said at panel of cleaning materialis generally diamond-shaped and folded into triangular sections forminga base at said edge portion substantially parallel to said aligned endsof the bars.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said securing means is providedwith a slot receiving the flexible bars in intersecting relation to eachother.

9. The combination of claim 5 wherein said securing means is providedwith a slot receiving the flexible bars in intersecting relation to eachother.

10. The combination of claim 5 wherein said at panel is generallydiamond-shaped and folded into triangular sections forming a base atsaid edge portion substantially perpendicular to said handle member.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said securing means is providedwith a slot receiving the exible bars in intersecting relation to eachother.

12. The combination of claim 5 including a flexible bar secured to thehandle member and substantially parallel to the handle member withrespect to the common plane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,915,768 12/1959 Hall 15-2443,105,263 10/ 1963 Ginter 15-244 1,025,800 5/ 1912 Fuller 15-2281,653,415 12/ 1927 Purvis et al.

2,262,888 11/1941 Dodge 15-228 XR 2,301,505 11/1942 Bates l5-23l2,602,948 7/ 1952 Kautenberg 15--244-4 XR 3,058,139 10/ 1962 Dryden15-244 3,085,270 4/ 1963 Vosbikian et al. 15-118 XR DANIEL BLUM, PrimaryExaminer

